Postcards
by SilverInkblot
Summary: So where was Sora sending those postcards anyway? Game one universe. COMPLETE.
1. The Postcard

_Co-written with my good friend Ajac, who wondered where all those postcards were going. We're taking some creative liberties here, so be nice. Standard disclaimer applies._

* * *

The thing about somehow miraculously surviving an invasion of Shadow Heartless during the destruction of your world is that the human brain tends to rationalize the process after the fact. Everyone has their fears. For some, it's falling from a great height. For others, it's a predatory animal of some sort, say a panther, or a snake (or perhaps, a Heartless). But the root of these fears all stem from the same place – the fear of a confrontation with death. But that's all beside the point. The point is that the fear of death is really the fear of the unknown, and the not knowing is what causes a person to rationalize a terrifying experience.

For the remaining residents of the Destiny Islands, the Heartless invasion was passed off as a tropical storm, a hurricane, and nothing more. The strange morphing shadows some claimed to have seen were hallucinations brought out by fear. Indeed, the islands did appear to be smaller, but surely they had always been that size?

Two of the remaining residents lived with this explanation as best they could, not talking about what they had seen and refusing to point out the very obvious, very large gaps in the story, until the postcard arrived.

On one side was a picture of a large stone building, white in color with a belltower at the top. At the foot of the building rested a large square sunken into the ground, also of stone. High walls surrounded the square and on top of the walls there appeared to be a variety of shops and houses. In the left hand corner, written in bold yellow letters were the words "Welcome to Traverse Town!" On the other side was a message.

It was in a messily written script, as though the writer were in a great hurry, or if the writer were a four-year-old. But it was clear to the recipients that the writer in question was neither, for they recognized the handwriting immediately as that of their son, who never did manage to perfect his penmanship, once again losing to Riku in their never-ending competitions.

_ Dear Mom and Dad,_

_ I awoke in the back alley of a new world today. At least, I was woken by a large yellow dog. It's a strange world, with cobblestone streets and seems to be caught in perpetual night (I learned the word "perpetual" from my new friend Leon). Wandering around town introduced me to several new friends, like Donald and Goofy, who are on a quest for their missing king. I have decided to help them, in hopes that in their search I will find Riku and Kairi. I also find myself in possession of a large key (that I now know to be called the Keyblade) that can open anything and doubles as a weapon. (According to legend, the Keybearer was a great hero of the worlds, who fought the Heartless. So I guess that makes me a hero now!) I used the Keyblade to open a treasure chest and found this postcard inside. And because reality as I know it has been turned upside-down (and because this town has a mailbox) I will send this card, no __address, no stamp, to wherever you are (if you're anywhere at all). If you receive this, then know that I will return home. If not, please return to sender._

_ - Sora_


	2. Rationale Shattered

_Once again with thanks to Ajac (for more than one reason). Standard disclaimer still applies._

* * *

Receiving a postcard from a world vastly different than your own and having all your rationalizations shattered in the space of a few moments is by no means a pleasant experience. Yet after a few moments of tense silence, Sora's parents seemed to recover, passing off the letter as a strange cruel joke by a strange cruel neighbor. The postcard was set aside until a later date when they would have time to delve further into the issue and fell back into their happy rationalizations.

Until the second postcard arrived.

It was the same "Welcome to Traverse Town" font as before in the top right hand corner, only with a different picture. The scene depicted several residents gathered at wooden tables in some sort of restaurant. It had a rustic look considerably different than before, but the handwriting on the other side proved to be much the same.

_Dear Mom and Dad,_

_I became an astronaut today. My new friends have this awesome rocket called a gummi ship. Donald wouldn't let me drive it though._

_We landed on another world. (It turns out the universe is waaaay bigger than I thought. I'll have to travel fast if I want to see them all.) The world we found ourselves in was called Wonderland, although it was more weird than wonderful. Everything talks. The rabbit, the flowers, the door. There's even an insane queen guarded by playing cards (The ten of spades kicks socks at Go Fish). The queen was putting a girl on trial. For something everyone knew she couldn't have done! How could I not help?_

_Her name was Alice. She told us to find the Cheshire Cat. We didn't have to look far. In fact, HE found us. I think he knows something about the Heartless. I'm really not sure what side he's on, even if he did help us out in the end. But I guess it doesn't matter now. Mom, Dad, they stole Alice from us. They took her right out from under us. The say the Keyblade master is supposed to be a hero. But I don't feel like much of a hero now._

_- Sora_

* * *


	3. Illegible Mess

The latest postcard had what appeared to be a large bite mark on the left side. The paper was somewhat wrinkled, as if it had been wet before and set aside to dry. The ink on the back was stained and difficult to read, while entire parts of the message were lost on the left side where it had been ripped.

_. . . flying the gummi ship. Donald wanted to. . . but I thought. . . it wasn't **MY** fault! Then I was . . . . .attacked. . . leopard and . . . but he couldn't speak English. . ._

Much of the rest was illegible, partly due to the poor quality of the handwriting, but mainly due to the shoddy condition of the card itself. From what they managed to gather, Sora's latest adventure had taken him to the jungle. Something about gorilla's and "tree-surfing," whatever that was.

And something about getting shot. Other than that though, he seemed to be having a good time.

* * *

_So this one_ _presented some issues. I'm still not happy with it. Meh. Standard disclaimer applies. Standard excuse for the long wait between chapters applies as well (School, work, family emergency; take your pick)._

_Bye for now. -SilverInkblot_


	4. Lost and Found

There was a long delay between the fourth and fifth postcards. Being parents, and parents being much the same no matter what universe you visit, Sora's own family had begun to fear the worst when a strange dog appeared at their back door.

It was by no means strange in appearance. It was a standard sized-dog, with yellow fur like a golden retriever and a wet black nose along with a skinny, perpetually wagging tail, as though caught in a state of constant joy. But where most dogs possessed only a limited mental capacity and an infinite amount of loyalty, something in this dog's eyes belied the spark of intelligence rarely seen outside of humans. This dog was smart. This dog had a purpose. And somewhere along the way, it had been drafted to deliver the fifth postcard.

_Dear Mom and Dad,_

_I think I miss the jungle. This world is a desert. Literally. It's hot. It's dry. And it's sandy. Sand in my shoes, my hair, and in places I don't want to mention. But it's also the biggest city I've ever seen. It's __**huge**__. The royal palace couldn't even fit on our island._

_I got to meet the princess of the palace. Apparently we arrived just in time. Her father's advisor, Jafar, was trying to take the palace using the Heartless. He tried to kidnap Jasmine. He __**did**__ kidnap Jasmine. We couldn't save her. We had all the magic in the world and we couldn't save her. Now I have to find Riku, Kairi, Alice, and Jasmine. I'm the Keyblade Master. I can't let anything happen to them. And once I've found them, then I can find my way home._

_Sora_

_

* * *

_

An apology is extened to Ajac, who is rather miffed at me at the moment. Sorry. = (

Standard disclaimer will always apply. -SilverInkblot


	5. The Mundane and the Meaningful

_Hmmm. . . the chapters seem to be getting more introspective. _

* * *

Even when the only home you've ever known has been ravenged by a supernatural force, even when your son disappears without a trace, and even when you learn that your world is much, much bigger and you are much, much smaller than your distorted worldview has let you realize, life still goes on. There are still meals to cook, clothes to wash, and a thousand little things to tend to. The mundane tasks we all despise more often than not carry more meaning than we credit them with. Hanging dampened laundry, and looking up to see your son coming home from school, latest test score held high. Finding a bird nest in the bushes you're trimming. And it was in one such moment, while washing the dishes that Sora's mother looked out the window to see Selphie, Tidus, and Wakka practicing with their respective weapons. The sight of the three of them, fully engaged, focused and intense in their dangerous game reminded her of the postcard she had found in her mailbox sometime before.

_Dear Mom and Dad,_

_Donald landed us on an interesting world today. It's a world dedicated to heroic deeds, impossible tasks of daring, and feats of incredible magnitude… or at least that's what Phil says. Phil's my new trainer. He's helping me become stronger, so I can prove myself in the Coliseum. I'll probably have an easier time fighting the Heartless too. (Phil even introduced me to a __**real **__hero named Hercules. I think I'd like to be like him when I grow up.) Training here is (almost) like being back on the Island, clashing wooden sword with Riku again. Only the Keyblade is no toy. It's like a part of me now. I don't know what I'd do without it._

_- Sora_

* * *

_You thought we forgot the Coliseum, didn't you? ; ) _

_Credit to Ajac for being such a wonderful editor. ^^_

_Standard disclaimer, and you know the rest. - SilverInkblot_


	6. Strangely Unfamiliar

The universe is full of strange things. And not strange like the two-headed snake Sora found in the backyard when he was six. The universe was full of magic, of animate playing cards, of heart-stealing shadows and the heroes who fought them. There were multitudes of worlds, rainforest worlds, desert worlds, and worlds where talking doorknobs were the norm. It only stands to reason that, sooner or later, Sora was bound to run into something that made the strange seem. . . well, ordinary.

_Dear Mom and Dad,_

_This must be how Jonah felt. Our ship was swallowed by a whale. That's right. We were eaten by a WHALE. While flying. IN SPACE. But the weirdness doesn't stop there. Riku was swallowed too. And there's something wrong with him. Something dark. . . I don't know. I don't know what to say. Everything's so weird here. Besides, I can't think in this smell. It's like old tuna. Times a zillion._

_- Sora_

_

* * *

_

Wow, that was short. Don't worry; I'll make it up to everyone next chapter.

Usual disclaimer. -SilverInkblot


	7. Leave All Your Horizons Behind

_Disclaimer: Can't you recite it from memory yet?_

* * *

The responsibilities and pressures on a parent are unfathomable. As soon as a child is old enough to walk (and in some cases, _before _a child is old enough to walk) they are a danger to themselves. The saddest, most tragically romantic love story just can't compare to the sadness a parent feels when their child comes crying through the back door holding a scraped knee. While the postcards offered hope that Sora was still alive, the wait between cards was often long and borderline unbearable. To never again have a need for the bottle of rubbing alcohol and cotton balls under the sink, the thought that they may never have another chance to kiss all the pain away was heartbreaking.

And sometimes you just had to get away from all that.

Sometimes all you needed was a rowboat, a fishing pole, and an endless expanse of sea. Sometimes it was nice to leave solid ground and push out into open water, edging closer to the line where sea met sky. And it was on one of those days that Sora's father found the next postcard in a glass bottle.

_Dear Mom and Dad,_

_Donald's magic is more powerful than I thought. He can change our shapes! He made me into a half fish, half person and turned Goofy into a turtle! The world we were exploring was nothing but water (it's not so bad once you get used to the controls). The Heartless were all over this world too. We were fighting them off a girl named Ariel (who we later found out was the local princess) before we could even figure out how to swim properly. She took us to see her father, King Triton. He scares me a little. _

_Ariel's a lot like us. Me, Riku, and Kairi I mean. She wants to leave her world. Her father really doesn't like that. He's pretty harsh on her. Still, I guess I can't blame him too much. He just wants what's best for her._

_-Sora_

_

* * *

_

Sorry for the wait. Hope this is worth it. Blame Ajac for leaving me alone all weekend. The jerk. :p

(I love you anyway. Happy late Valentine's Day everyone.)

-SilverInkblot

P.S. - The chapter title has a double meaning. See if you can figure it out.


	8. Holiday Fear

_Disclimer: Yes._

Sora's adventures had taken him to some strange locales. Deserts and jungles were all well and good, but flying space whales? Merpeople? And yet, they had accepted it, time and again, for after all, their own world had been ravenged by ant-like shadow creatures that could somehow summon destructive powers (roughly the equivalent of an atomic bomb) from nowhere.

But you had to draw the line between rationality and absurdity somewhere.

_Dear Mom and Dad,_

_I know I've told you about some weird places. This one is past weird. It's kind of scary. The world is dedicated to Halloween. It's like a never-ending night of trick-or-treating – I'm even in costume! (I'm not sure what I'm supposed to be. . .) Anyway, there was this scientist, Dr. Finklestein, performing experiments on the Heartless. Think they wanted the Heartless to play with them. (The experiment failed. Which is probably a good thing. I don't think I could have taken the Heartless seriously after watching them dance.) Still, if there's a world for Halloween, I wonder if other holidays get their own world too. I've always wanted to meet the Easter Bunny._

_-Sora_

. . . Sometimes there was just nothing to say. Blinking owlishly at each other, the postcard was quietly stored away in the trinket box with the other seven.

* * *

_Seriously, when you think about it, the KH storyline sounds like an acid trip._

_To Ajac: thanks for the motivation._

_To you: thanks for reading!_

* * *


	9. Not Yet Grown Up

Children are naturally curious.

_Why is the sky blue?_

When you are small, the world is so big, and so enchanting, and so interesting.

_Why is the beach sandy?_

And then you grow up . . .

_**Why are we on this island?**_

And suddenly the questions are harder to answer.

_Why?_

And every parent knows the day will come when children must find their own answers.

They just didn't think it would be so soon.

_Dear Mom and Dad,_

_I'm writing from a pirate ship. We were taken prisoner. By Riku. He's taken sides with the Heartless. He has Kairi. But he won't tell me what's wrong with her. He won't let me help. I don't understand. I thought we were best friends. Why does he hate me?_

_We were saved by a boy named Peter. He taught us how to fly. It's really easy. Only kids can do it though. Peter says adults are too grounded – they forget how to imagine, and that's why Peter never grows up. He remembers how to have faith._

_But it may take more than faith to save my friends. All of them._

_Sora_

_

* * *

_

Sorry for the wait. Hope this makes up for it. Usual disclaimer.

-SilverInkblot


	10. The Road to Memory Lane

The final postcard was different from the rest.

There was a part of them that felt this postcard was a final goodbye to the son they had once known. Sora sounded older than in his last card, his tone more serious. But another part knew that wasn't true. Sora was still out there, traveling the road Destiny chose for him.

_Dear Mom and Dad,_

_So much has happened since I sent my first postcard. So much that I can't explain. So much that I've learned. I haven't been able to tell you all of it, but I promise I will, one day. I've made so many friends, and I've seen so many places, and I've never missed my island or my parents more. Mom, Dad, I found my friends. Kairi was with me the whole time and I never knew. And Riku, he . . . he never really hated me. He was doing his best too_

_I can't explain why, but I feel this will be my last postcard. There's one more world I have to go to, and I don't know what will happen there. But whatever happens, don't worry about me. Just think of me, and that will be enough. Whatever comes of this journey, I swear I will return home. And then I'll tell you everything._

_Love,_

_Sora_

And one day, that road would lead him back home.

_

* * *

_

Stay tuned for the epilogue!

Thanks to Ajac for being a wonderful editor, to you for reading, and to the Disney/Square companies for not suing.


	11. Forgotten Sunset

_Disclaimer as usual._

* * *

They say nothing is ever forgotten. That it's all stored away somewhere in the back of conscious and sub-conscious mind. And maybe they're right. But it doesn't matter. For as Sora's adventures took him deeper into those recesses, the unthinkable happened.

They began to forget things.

First they couldn't remember what they had done with that box of postcards. Then they forget there had ever _been_ a box of postcards.

Before long they forgot they even had a son.

Occasionally, Sora's mother would set out an extra plate at the dinner table and then wonder why. His father would look up from the yard work, expecting to see someone coming down the lane, but no one was ever there. For some reason, the wait for the postman was always the longest part of the day. Even so, the strange case of amnesia could be temporarily brushed aside for a little while, and generally didn't interfere with their lives.

. . . Until an oddly familiar looking dog made his way to their back door. Something inside his intelligent black eyes spoke of memories beyond their reach, misfired synapses that never quite reached their destination. And as painful as it was to know they had forgotten something _(someone?)_ important, they couldn't bear to send the dog away. It would paw at their feet for food, fetch the paper out of the petunia bushes, and occasionally chase the neighbor's cat, much as any dog would. So they kept it. And about a week later, on a walk to the beach, Sora's mother decided the dog needed a name.

"Sora."

"What?"

"That's what we should call him. It feels . . . right."

"Sora. Yes, I think that's a good name."

And as the waves tickled their feet, a lonely couple with a perpetually joyful dog watched the sun go down from their seat on an old abandoned raft.

* * *

_And this story is finished. Yay!_

_A huge thanks go out to all the fabulous readers who have been keeping up with this story and left some great comments that encouraged the continuation of this idea. This began as a one-shot, but the first chapter got a great positive respone, and I'm glad the theme was something you guys wanted to hear about. Thanks for all the feedback!_

_And I've said it in several chapters, but a special thanks go to my collaborator Ajac, who inspired this story, and who is one of the greatest friends I could have ever hoped to meet._

_Thank you all so much for reading. See ya next time! _

_-SilverInkblot_


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